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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

II - Chapter 27

Translation and Transliteration of 

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1Yotam was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Yerushalayim; his mother's name was Jerushah daughter of Tzadok.

ben-es-rim v'-kha-MESH sha-NAH yo-TAM b'-mol-KHO v'-shesh-es-reh sha-NAH ma-LAKH bi-ru-sha-LA-im v'-shem i-MO ye-ru-SHAH bat-tza-DOK

אבֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וְחָמֵ֤שׁ שָׁנָה֙ יוֹתָ֣ם בְּמׇלְכ֔וֹ וְשֵׁשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ יְרוּשָׁ֖ה בַּת־צָדֽוֹק׃

2He did what was pleasing to Hashem just as his father Uzziyahu had done, but he did not enter the Temple of Hashem; however, the people still acted corruptly.

va-YA-as ha-ya-SHAR b'-ay-NAY a-do-NAI k'-KHOL a-SHER a-SAH u-zi-YA-hu a-VEEV RAK lo VA el hay-KHAL a-do-NAI v'-OD ha-AM mash-khee-TEEM

בוַיַּ֨עַשׂ הַיָּשָׁ֜ר בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֗ה כְּכֹ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה֙ עֻזִּיָּ֣הוּ אָבִ֔יו רַ֕ק לֹא־בָ֖א אֶל־הֵיכַ֣ל יְהֹוָ֑ה וְע֥וֹד הָעָ֖ם מַשְׁחִיתִֽים׃

27:2   The people still acted corruptly

While Yotam is remembered as a good and righteous king, he fails to influence the people in a significant way. In fact, the people continue their rebellions against Hashem and His worship. As is clear throughout Tanakh, a king is in a unique position to have significant impact on his subjects. Chizkiyahu, for example, is able to create positive change, bringing the nation to a spiritual state that they had not reached since the days of Shlomo. Menashe, on the other hand, leads the people to a spiritual low point. Therefore, though Yotam is considered a good king, he is remembered as a king who failed in his mission to cause the people to repent. Doing what is right is not enough; we must influence and inspire others to do so as well.

3It was he who built the Upper Gate of the House of Hashem; he also built extensively on the wall of Ophel.

HU ba-NA et sha-AR beit a-do-NAI ha-e-lyon u-ve-KHO-mat ha-o-FEL ba-NA la-ROV

גה֗וּא בָּנָ֛ה אֶת־שַׁ֥עַר בֵּית־יְהֹוָ֖ה הָעֶלְי֑וֹן וּבְחוֹמַ֥ת הָעֹ֛פֶל בָּנָ֖ה לָרֹֽב׃

4He built towns in the hill country of Yehuda, and in the woods he built fortresses and towers.

v'-a-RIM ba-NAH b'-har y'-hu-DAH u-b'-kho-ra-SHEEM ba-NAH bi-ra-nee-YOT u-mig-da-LEEM

דוְעָרִ֥ים בָּנָ֖ה בְּהַר־יְהוּדָ֑ה וּבֶחֳרָשִׁ֣ים בָּנָ֔ה בִּירָנִיּ֖וֹת וּמִגְדָּלִֽים׃

5Moreover, he fought with the king of the Ammonites and overcame them; the Ammonites gave him that year 100 kikarim of silver and 10,000 kor of wheat and another 10,000 of barley; that is what the Ammonites paid him, and [likewise] in the second and third years.

v'-HU ni-L'-kham im me-LEKH b'-nay a-MON, va-ye-khe-ZAK a-lei-HEM, va-yi-te-NU-lo b'-nay a-MON ba-sha-NAH ha-HEE, me-AH ki-KAR ke-SEF, va-a-se-RET a-la-FEEM ko-REEM khee-TEEM u-s'-o-REEM a-se-RET a-la-FEEM. zo-at he-SHEE-vu lo b'-nay a-MON, u-va-sha-NAH ha-she-NEET v'-ha-sh'-lee-SHEET.

הוְ֠ה֠וּא נִלְחַ֞ם עִם־מֶ֣לֶךְ בְּנֵֽי־עַמּוֹן֮ וַיֶּחֱזַ֣ק עֲלֵיהֶם֒ וַיִּתְּנוּ־ל֨וֹ בְנֵי־עַמּ֜וֹן בַּשָּׁנָ֣ה הַהִ֗יא מֵאָה֙ כִּכַּר־כֶּ֔סֶף וַעֲשֶׂ֨רֶת אֲלָפִ֤ים כֹּרִים֙ חִטִּ֔ים וּשְׂעוֹרִ֖ים עֲשֶׂ֣רֶת אֲלָפִ֑ים זֹ֗את הֵשִׁ֤יבוּ לוֹ֙ בְּנֵ֣י עַמּ֔וֹן וּבַשָּׁנָ֥ה הַשֵּׁנִ֖ית וְהַשְּׁלִשִֽׁית׃

6Yotam was strong because he maintained a faithful course before Hashem his God.

vai-yit-cha-ZEK yo-TAM, KEE he-KHEEN d'-ra-KHAV lif-NEI a-do-NAI e-lo-HAV

ווַיִּתְחַזֵּ֖ק יוֹתָ֑ם כִּ֚י הֵכִ֣ין דְּרָכָ֔יו לִפְנֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהָֽיו׃

7The other events of Yotam's reign, and all his battles and his conduct, are recorded in the book of the kings of Yisrael and Yehuda.

v'-ye-TER d'-v'-REI yo-TAM v'-kol mil-kha-MO-tav u-d'-ra-KHAV hi-NAM k'-tu-VIM al se-FER mal-khay yis-ra-AYL vi-y'-hu-DAH

זוְיֶתֶר֙ דִּבְרֵ֣י יוֹתָ֔ם וְכׇל־מִלְחֲמֹתָ֖יו וּדְרָכָ֑יו הִנָּ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֔ים עַל־סֵ֥פֶר מַלְכֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וִיהוּדָֽה׃

8He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Yerushalayim.

ben-es-rim v'-kha-MESH sha-NAH ha-YAH b'-mol-KHO v'-shesh-es-reh sha-NAH ma-LAKH bi-ru-sha-LA-im

חבֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֧ים וְחָמֵ֛שׁ שָׁנָ֖ה הָיָ֣ה בְמׇלְכ֑וֹ וְשֵׁשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

9Yotam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David; his son Achaz succeeded him as king.

vai-YISH-kav yo-TAM im a-vo-TAV va-yik-B'-ru o-TO b'-ir da-VID va-yim-LOKH a-KHAZ b'-NO ta-KH'-TO

טוַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב יוֹתָם֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וַיִּקְבְּר֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ בְּעִ֣יר דָּוִ֑יד וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אָחָ֥ז בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃